Papadoplaka

Papadoplaka

Native name: Παπαδόπλακα
Papadoplaka
Geography
Coordinates	34°55′10″N 24°47′09″E / 34.9194°N 24.7858°E / 34.9194; 24.7858Coordinates: 34°55′10″N 24°47′09″E / 34.9194°N 24.7858°E / 34.9194; 24.7858
Archipelago	Cretan Islands
Administration
Greece
Region	Crete
Regional unit	Heraklion
Demographics
Population	0 (2001)

Papadoplaka (Greek: Παπαδόπλακα) is a natural reef islet off the southern coast of the Greek island of Crete in the Libyan Sea. The islet is in a bay between cape Lithino and cape Kefalas, at Kommos, and close to Gortyn which was the ancient capital of Crete. The name can be loosely translated as the priest's rock.^[1] It is administered within Heraklion regional unit.

Group of islets[]

Archaeological site of Kommos

There are a group of four islets in the bay including Papadoplaka (to the west), Megalonisi (with the lighthouse), Mikronisi (also known as Agios Pavlos), and Trafos.

Minoan era[]

Papadoplaka was more substantial in Minoan times, due to lower sea levels, and is likely to have offered safe harbour for ships in that part of the bay.^[1] J. W. Shaw believes that Papadoplaka is likely to have been linked with the coast via a partially submerged sandy shore. This would make a Minoan harbor at Kommos similar to the harbor at Amnisos.^[2]

References[]